World Championship (Game Two)

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 {A King's Indian...A Grunfeld....A Budapest Gambit.} 2... e6 {A Nimzo-Indian (is there an island called Nimzo - does it have Indians?)} 3. Nf3 {A Queen's Indian (3...b6)} 3... d5 {It a Queens Gambit.} 4. g3 {No It’s a Catalan.} 4... Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qc2 b5 {Usually hanging on to a pawn is dodgy as Black but move this is theory tested.} 8. Ne5 {We may see 8....Qxd4 9.Bxa8 Qxe5 a Rook for a Knight and 2 pawns another day,} 8... c6 {Nepo has no wish to get involved in that opening debate.} 9. a4 {9. Nxc6 is too tame. This is has more tension, creates more chances.} 9... Nd5 10. Nc3 {Again staying with maintaining the tension.} 10... f6 {Nepo decides to hold the gambit pawn at the cost pf development and pawn structure. Game On} 11. Nf3 Qd7 {If Carlsen takes on b5 this ugly looking move allows Nepo to take back.} 12. e4 {A nice head of steam for White and all it has cost him is one pawn to put in the boiler.} 12... Nb4 13. Qe2 Nd3 {A knight in the guts. but can it, and it alone hold back a White central lunge.} 14. e5 {Peeking at the a8 Rook this time with venom.} 14... Bb7 15. exf6 Bxf6 16. Ne4 Na6 {One of them moves that only after it was played I saw the idea....and it's a good one.} 17. Ne5 {This guarantees Carlsen (again) the two Bishops.} 17... Bxe5 18. dxe5 Nac5 19. Nd6 {The argument is: 'You have a Knight on d3. My Knight on d6 is stronger.'} 19... Nb3 {White saw this coming and decided to give up the exchange to rid himself of the two Knights.} 20. Rb1 Nbxc1 21. Rbxc1 Nxc1 22. Rxc1 {Nepo is the exchange and a pawn up (and robbed Carlsen of his Bishop Pair.)} 22... Rab8 {Black will be playing c5 to start trading down. The d6 Knight is keeping White in the game.} 23. Rd1 {Putting Nxb5 or Nxc5 ideas on the board.} 23... Ba8 24. Be4 {Carlsen wants to create some Kingside play before allowing exchanges.} 24... c3 {This two pointed idea puts Carlsen off going for Bxh7+ ideas - see next game.} 25. Qc2 {Carlsen sucks forward the g7 pawn now f6 is another Knight base.} 25... g6 {Not worried about 26.Bxg6 as 26...cxb2 will stop that little idea dead.} 26. bxc3 bxa4 {The second point to 24...c3 Black now has passed pawns.} 27. Qxa4 {The Kingside demo has won back the gambit pawn. The d6 Knight counters the two Rooks.} 27... Rfd8 {Stopping discovered attacks on the Black Queen.} 28. Ra1 {Unpinning the Knight and keeping an eye on the passed a-pawn.} 28... c5 29. Qc4 {Hitting two weak pawns, the Rook is hitting the other.} 29... Bxe4 30. Nxe4 {With a tempo gaining Nf6+ on the board, the result of forcing 25...g6.} 30... Kh8 31. Nd6 {Back to home base and blocking the d-file.} 31... Rb6 {Nepo will rid himself of that d6 Knight with Rxd6 when the time is right.} 32. Qxc5 {White is now a pawn up!} 32... Rdb8 33. Kg2 {Not allowing his lone Rook to be swapped off.} 33... a6 {Black is planning Qc6+} 34. Kh3 {The White King is safe, for now, from troublesome checks.} 34... Rc6 35. Qd4 Kg8 {Sizing up Rxd6 and taking Qf4 and Nf7+ ideas off the board.} 36. c4 Qc7 37. Qg4 Rxd6 {And there it goes. A few tricks left but this is looking drawish.} 38. exd6 Qxd6 39. c5 Qxc5 40. Qxe6+ Kg7 41. Rxa6 Rf8 42. f4 Qf5+ {43 Kh4 Qh5 mate.(possibly the only note I may have correct.)} 43. Qxf5 Rxf5 44. Ra7+ Kg8 45. Kg4 Rb5 46. Re7 Ra5 {Even with the Black King cut off this 3 pawns v 2 pawns set up is a draw.} 47. Re5 {But Carlsen being Carlsen will see if he can squeeze anything from it.} 47... Ra7 48. h4 Kg7 49. h5 Kh6 50. Kh4 Ra1 51. g4 Rh1+ 52. Kg3 gxh5 53. Re6+ Kg7 54. g5 Rg1+ 55. Kf2 Ra1 56. Rh6 Ra4 57. Kf3 Ra3+ 58. Kf2 Ra4 {The game was agreed a draw. A very good and intense game.}

[FEN "br3rk1/p2q2pp/2pNp3/1p2P3/P3B3/2p3P1/1P2QP1P/3R2K1 w - - 0 25"]
25. Bxh7+ Kxh7 26. Qh5+ Kg8 27. Rd4 c2 {cxb2 works but I wanted to show this line.} 28. Rh4 c1=Q+ 29. Kg2 Qh6 {That ends it as does other moves but that is convincing and easy to see.}